City comparison
McAllen, TX vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 7.9% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $107,900 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $926 a month in Utica, NY versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Utica, NY and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Utica, NY than in McAllen, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from McAllen, TX to Utica, NY changes real buying power by −7.3%, purely from prices.
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| McAllen, TX | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 85.9 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,897 in Utica | $92,681 in McAllen |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $847/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $35,830 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | McAllen | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 55.9 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 85.9 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
McAllen, TX → Utica, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
46 Fair offer
Utica, NY → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from McAllen, TX to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | McAllen, TX | Utica, NY | Real change, McAllen → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | McAllen, TX | Utica, NY | Utica pay in McAllen dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,110 | $77,010 | $71,374 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $116,120 | $113,390 | $105,091 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $64,470 | $79,830 | $73,987 (+14.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,540 | $94,300 | $87,398 (+8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.